new fuel sender?

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

mcbonio
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:00 pm

Post Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:11 pm

I've just filled my '87 cab up to the brim and the OBC says theres 47 litres. This can't be right? The tank is supposed to have 62L capacity.

I tried adjusting the screw on the left of the OBC to accurately set the full capacity but the screw does nothing..

You think my fuel sender is fooked?
Black_Potato
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 774
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Colchester

Post Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:14 pm

Has it worked properly before ?

The reason I ask is the sender is matched to the guage module in the dash and if you replace one with the wrong version you get funny readings.

Unless the above is likely its probably fubar'd
3x S14 Rightness....
Image
mcbonio
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:00 pm

Post Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:36 pm

No its never worked as it should, very inaccurate.! Expect for the last 60 miles in the tank then its spot on.
Black_Potato
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 774
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: Colchester

Post Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:08 pm

You could try cleaning up the earths and making sure the unit its self isnt dirty/coroded, if that fails I'd suggest replacing it but if you can get the dash module as well or you may get funny results.
3x S14 Rightness....
Image
Grrrmachine
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
Posts: 8043
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Post Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:18 pm

If you brim the tank and your actual fuel gauge maxes out, then it's nothing to do with the senders.
mcbonio
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:00 pm

Post Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:40 pm

Huh? The fuel guage is maxed out, but the OBC says 47 litres, when the tank holds 62, is the point i'm making.!
Grrrmachine
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
Posts: 8043
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Post Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:13 am

I understood the point, but you didn't tell us what your fuel gauge was showing, and since the OBC takes its data from the instrument cluster then that would tell us where the problem lies!
mcbonio
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:00 pm

Post Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:15 am

Right so yeah, fuel gauge was maxed out. But at the pump the car took a total of 47 litres, it had a gallon left in the tank.

EDIT:

Just pulled the back seat off and inspected the pump and sender connections, the OBC said I had 45 litres, when it took the connector off the sender and put it back on it now says 41.5 litres,

I'm pretty sure the sender is knackered.! Can it be serviced? If so is there a write up?
mcbonio
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:00 pm

Post Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:46 pm

Ok, I just read that the 62l tanks had 2 fuel senders? Mine only has 1 so I'm assuming its the 55L version?
Grrrmachine
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member
Posts: 8043
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Post Fri Mar 30, 2012 3:28 pm

It's all in the Wiki, including how to test the senders winkeye

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... Components
mcbonio
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:00 pm

Post Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:37 am

Hey all,
How to I take apart the fuel sender to clean the rod inside?